The School of Engineering (SENG) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology today inaugurated its state-of-the-art Engineering Commons, a student-centered space to promote total learning experience.
Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said, "The opening of the Engineering Commons marks an important milestone for the School of Engineering in our continuous effort to nurture and empower our students. This custom-designed space will not only serve as a hub for student advising, collaborative learning and knowledge exchange, but also as a platform to inspire creative ideas as well as showcase the School's latest inventions and technologies."
Officiating at the opening ceremony, President Prof Tony F Chan said, "Our School of Engineering is always known for its high quality and innovative education and research. This ultra-modern Engineering Commons is no exception. It has added a sophisticated and total learning experience platform to engage its students and faculty members. This is a focal facility worthy of a world-class university."
At the center of the Commons is an open area surrounded by a panoramic display as well as a cyber-physical interactive platform jointly developed by HKUST School of Engineering faculty and students. In addition to providing up-to-date information to members of the School, the platform also enables the development of real-time applications such as e-polling and instant display of poll results as well as greetings via a special app developed by SENG students.
SENG also introduced the Center for Industry Engagement and Internship (IEI), another key component of the School's total learning experience. IEI acts as a bridge between industry and the School of Engineering to promote internship and industry engagement. Internship and career centers are common at universities, but IEI stands out because it is a platform tailored for engineering students as a one-stop shop and training hub. It is also where faculty members and industry advisors proactively collaborate to coach students on career planning and critical skills to be competitive in their job search and beyond.
IEI's key initiatives include joint workshops with J.P. Morgan to inspire students to look beyond technology industries, company visits to Apple, Google and LSI Logic in the Silicon Valley, and nomination of students to industry internship fellowship programs. IEI's proactive support has resulted in HKUST engineering students winning 30% of the total fellowships awarded to local tertiary institutions by Project ETHICS, a Hong Kong-mainland internship scholarship scheme sponsored by the China Development Bank. Furthermore, over 70% of the summer internships offered by J.P. Morgan to HKUST students in 2012 were converted to full-time positions this year, highlighting the importance of internship and school-industry collaboration.
Prof Patrick Yue, Founding Director of the Center for Industry Engagement and Internship (IEI), said, "IEI leverages the School of Engineering's excellent international reputation and the faculty's extensive industrial connections to bring the best opportunities to our students. We believe that early exposure to the professional world will broaden the students' horizons and enrich their university education."
The opening ceremony of the Engineering Commons featured an inaugural Industrial Forum entitled "Empowering Our Engineering Talents for Globalized Technology Industries". The Forum was organized by IEI for the first time to provide a platform for leaders of multinational corporations to engage directly with students to share their insights on how an engineering education is relevant to a diverse range of industries. Speakers included Ms Umran Beba, President of Asia Pacific Region, PepsiCo; Ir Dr Andrew KC Chan, Deputy Chairman, Arup Group; Mr Christopher Gibbs, Engineering Director, Cathay Pacific Airways Limited; and Mr Henry Leung Kwong-hang, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Gold Peak Batteries International Limited.
Prof Hong K Lo, Associate Dean of Engineering, said, "With the announcement of the Engineering Commons, the Center for Industry Engagement and Internship (IEI) and the Center for Engineering Education and Innovation (E2I) with a dedicated team of professional advisors, the School of Engineering has firmly put in place the physical, external/industrial and advisory infrastructure that support our commitment to a total learning experience."
About HKUST School of Engineering
The HKUST School of Engineering is internationally renowned for its academic excellence and consistently ranks high among major engineering schools in the world. In 2012, the prominence of the School has seen HKUST ranked No. 1 in Greater China and No. 23 globally in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings in Engineering and Technology. The School proactively takes a multidisciplinary and theme-based approach in research to find innovative solutions to tackle global challenges. Committed to leading engineering education, the School provides a holistic and total-learning experience to students and nurture 21st century engineers who will inspire and innovate.
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Dorothy Yip
Tel: 2358 5917
Email: egkkyip@ust.hk
